Many personal computers and most home use video game systems are provided with one or more program cartridge receptacles. The receptacles are used to receive commercially available game and other types of program cartridges. A typical cartridge consists of a printed circuit board enclosed in a shell. The printed circuit board comprises electronic components connected to one another and to an array of pad-type contacts affixed along one edge of the board. The components on the board are electrically connected to the electronic circuits of a computer or video game system by insertion of the cartridge into a system receptacle provided for this purpose. This results in the insertion of the printed circuit board edge contacts into a printed circuit board connector block located within the system receptacle.
The frequent insertion and removal of cartridges causes dust, oxidization from the printed circuit board contacts and other foreign matter to be deposited onto the contacts of the connector block within the computer or video game. This debris may adversely affect electrical circuit performance of the system making the cleaning of these contacts a desirable maintenance procedure.
Such cleanings, however, are not easily accomplished by the users of such systems. The location of the connector block within the cartridge receptacle makes it difficult to reach for cleaning. Additionally, the typical user is unfamiliar with the currently practiced methods of cleaning connector block contacts with alcohol and swabs or hand held burnishing tools. A need exists, therefore, for a simple and inexpensive device which provides an improved means for cleaning program cartridge connector blocks. Such a device should be easily employable by system users and permit efficient connector block contact cleaning.